


Something More

by deo-agent (WillowRoseBrook)



Series: College AU [1]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Best Friends, F/M, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-26
Updated: 2016-04-26
Packaged: 2018-06-04 13:29:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6659953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WillowRoseBrook/pseuds/deo-agent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tumblr Prompt: "college AU where Alex and Hank are best friends — he's really shy and she's the popular girl. Alex learns Hank is a shapeshifter and asks him to shift into her so she can practice kissing herself. Hank goes along with it because he's secretly in love with her.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something More

He never knew how he came to be friends with her. In the beginning it had seemed like some sort of cruel joke, the premier socialite of the college turning to him in Biochemistry and asking to be lab partners. But she was genuine, and with the smile she’d given him, he wasn’t sure he could have said no either way. It wasn’t the stereotypical “popular girl pretends to befriend smart kid so she’ll get a good grade” either. Alex was beautiful and outgoing, but most of all she was intelligent. They’d just been lab partners for the first couple of weeks, but after she had corrected his measurements in a way that probably would have resulted in a small explosion had they been left alone, she asked him out to lunch, and they had spent hours in the café by the library, talking and laughing until a waitress politely reminded them that it was almost dinner time, and that they ought to leave if they weren’t going to buy something else. Just as friends though. It wasn’t a date.

 

And in a lot of ways, that was better. They were close. Alex had too many friends to count, but not many people to count on. He was the only one who heard stories about her adoptive sister, who saw the part of Alex that was sad and broken. She’d lost her father as a child. They’d had many late night to early morning conversations, in the library or the lounge after Alex’s roommate had kicked them out.

 

Once, she’d collapsed sobbing in his arms. It was the anniversary of the last day she’d seen her father.

 

“This is the day I really hate,” she’d gasped. “Not the day I found out he was dead. The day he walked out that door and I knew there was nothing I could do to protect him. I just said goodbye.”

 

He’d rubbed her back, his expression pained, and she eventually pulled away.

 

“Thank you,” she had whispered. “I’m sorry.”

 

“I said goodbye too,” he’d said without thinking. She’d looked up at him, eyes sympathetic, searching. His heart had nearly stopped for a moment, maybe because he realized his mistake, maybe because the depth of concern in her eyes was heartbreaking.

 

“My family’s…gone. They died in a fire.” He tried to keep his voice even, but he didn’t succeed. She climbed back into his arms, taking her turn to sooth him. They’d fallen asleep like that, somehow. Heat had rushed to his cheeks when Alex’s roommate had found them curled into each other hours later.

 

“You gotta go,” she said.

Alex had just smiled like it was no big deal to be caught in bed with some guy, but then again, to her it probably wasn’t. And she had nothing to be ashamed of. They were just friends. He was the one with outlandish fantasies. She’d walked him to the door and given his hand a squeeze before letting it close. The elevator ride down had been a desperate attempt to control his mind.

 

They’d been close for almost a year now, partners in all their shared classes, and now, in summer research.

 

He’d come out to her after she’s asked to be roommates for the summer. He had been anxious, sick to his stomach, sure he was about to shatter the best relationship he’d ever had.

 

“I’m… You’re not going to believe me, Alex.”

 

She’d cocked her head to the side, a slight smile on her lips.

 

“You’d be surprised at what I can believe.”

 

“I’m not from here…” he’d started, and she had laughed, not cruelly in the way he had half expected her to, but with true joy.

 

Her sister, an alien, from Krypton.

 

“Let’s see,” she’d said after he had explained. He shifted nervously into his true form, and she _had hugged him._ “Looks like I’m going to be sharing a bathroom with an alien again.”

 

It was a relief, in most ways, for someone else to know his story. It was a relief for Alex, too, because she could reveal the true nature of her relationship with Kara for the first time in her life. She _loved_ her sister, but she had made growing up hard.

 

Hank probably needed a grief counselor. But telling his story to a professional would get him locked in a hospital for the delusional. Alex would have to do. And she did. Every time he woke up from a nightmare or needed to talk, he regretted burdening her with his pain. But she was always there, a reassuring smile, and anger on his behalf that helped him release his own for a moment.

 

Most of the summer had gone smoothly.

 

Maybe she was a little drunk that night she came home from a night out with Mata, maybe she was just a little more _Alex._ She’d asked about his powers a few times in the past. He’d shown her, despite his misgivings, because there was little that he wouldn’t do for Alex.

 

She’d come into the apartment, collapsed on her back on her bed.

“I didn’t go out with Mata,” she admitted. “I had a date.”

 

At that Hank drew a breath, tried not to show anything on his face. She deserved that.

 

“With Max,” she continued.

 

That, she didn’t deserve. Hank had never _not_ wanted to punch Max Lord in the face before, but the urge was especially strong now. But he swallowed his protest, because he’d never even talked to Max. Just watched him and his haughty gang of minions from afar. Max was dangerous. But he was a social elite, a charming type who probably _would_ draw Alex’s attention.

 

“It sucked,” she said.

 

Now _that_ drew _his_ attention. He tried not to let that show, either.

 

He realized she was watching him intently. He shrank under her gaze. After a moment, she got up and joined him on his bed. She eyed him for a second, with that gaze she usually reserved for “don’t try this at home or when the professor is looking” science experiments.

 

“Just curious…could you, you know, shift into me?”

 

Now _that_ was a new one. Her eyes stayed focused on the floor, as if he couldn’t see her blushing that way.

 

He _could._ He wasn’t going to, goodness, but it was a physically possible.

 

“Why?”

 

“Just…um…”

 

She got up, wringing her hands together. She looked almost as if she hadn’t anticipated the question, like she was the one caught off guard.

 

“Iwanttoknowwhatitwouldbeliketokissmyself.”

 

“ _What?”_

 

_That_ was unexpected. And drew up mixed images in his mind. Him, kissing Alex. Alex kissing Alex. What the _heck._

 

“Just…you know... to practice. Like a mirror, but more interactive.” She looked confused with her own suggestion, one hand in her hair. “Could you do it?”

 

He could. It didn’t work like that, the way she had to be thinking. She wouldn’t feel what he was feeling, wouldn’t really be like kissing _herself._ He should have told her that. But not with this _chance_ in front of him. He was an aberration for wanting her.

 

He accepted that. But he couldn’t show it, couldn’t ruin this.

 

She sat down on the bed beside him again. She was chewing her lip. She was nothing like the Alex he normally knew. Then her eyes met his again, and he saw that fire and passion and _life_ that he so loved.

 

He caved.

 

There were two Alexes on the bed. Looking deep into each other’s eyes. And then they were both laughing.

 

“Thanks,” said Alex. “I’m dumb.”

 

And then her lips were on his, and it was much more than a simple kiss.

 

They didn’t kiss on Mars. Had other ways of expressing themselves. This wasn’t really something Hank had much experience with.

 

This was tongue and teeth and heat, and the promise of something more. Then she pulled back for air, and she was laughing again.

 

“You—I—look so startled,” she gasped, and his expression made her laugh more. “God, Hank. Be yourself again.”

 

He changed quickly, mortified, sure this was a moment they were both going to regret.

 

“Don’t have a thing for yourself?” he muttered, trying to soothe his pride, alleviate the awkwardness of the situation.

 

“No.”

 

He turned away from her. Her hand went to his shoulder.

 

Then she was kissing him again. Her hands wandered up behind his head, her tongue tracing patterns on his lips. He couldn’t breathe and he didn’t care. The world, everything was Alex. She pushed him back until she was straddling his lap, and almost by instinct his arms wrapped around her.

 

She was Alex. She tasted like she looked: alive, bright. When her lips finally left his with an affectionate nibble, she kept their heads close, their breath mingling.

 

“I have a thing for _you,_ Hank _._ ”

**Author's Note:**

> Okay this totally gave me an idea for another fic, so stay tuned, this College AU is becoming a thing.


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